UPDATE: Turns out The Gazetteer was all over this already. …
I thought I’d said pretty much all I have to say about Ottawa’s covert closure of the Kitsilano coast guard base yesterday.
And then I read a story today on the Vancouver Courier’s website. And suddenly it seemed like it was worth taking one more kick at this cat.
The federal Tories have said for some time that they intended to close the base — Canada’s busiest coast guard rescue centre — because they could save a reputed $700,000 a year by running the rescue centre out of the hovercraft base in Richmond.
Despite a sustained public outcry, they insisted the base would close “this spring”.
Instead, yesterday, which was Feb 19th, the base gates were suddenly locked at 1 p.m. No warning to boaters, to maritime workers, not even to the police or fire departments who coordinate with the centre for incidents on and around the water. Just a clandestine move as the province’s entire media were poised for release of the provincial budget.
I thought that was cowardly. I thought it showed contempt for Canadians.
Apparently, I was all wrong.
The promise was a spring closure.
And — in the words of Vancouver South Tory MP Wai Young, who insists that anger over the base closure is just some messy political fuss – “February is spring in Vancouver”.
Maybe I was right the first time. Really, what else is there to say…
Expect to see a for sale sign on the property soon and then see a sold sign very shortly there after. It is the only reasonable conclusion I can come to as to why it is now closed.
It wasn’t a lack of money. They had tens of millions to spend on War 1812 commercials. They have money for a new dept. of “religious freedom”……..
The feds never offered to down load it to the province or the City of Vancouver. At the relatively low cost of $700K a yr they could have gotten most of the yacht clubs in the area to pick up the tab. I certainly would gave sent monthly cheques just to ensure people were safe.
This never had to do with money. You are correct about spring–the buds are out on the flowers and shrubs. We will need them for the funerals which will follow when people die. the idiots didn’t even notify the vancouver police and fire dept.
Harper will be personally responsible for every death as the result of this closure. When some one dies because of it he should be charged with murder.
Thank you for the storey.
Small world, my Grandmothers name was Christina Montgomery. My Grandfather, Albert Montgomery was a fisherman during the late 1930′s to the 1970′s. fishing from the Fraser river to Rivers inlet.
That’s interesting, Jim. I’ve never met another one of me — although it’s a pretty old name in my family.
To the reader who left the BCFS comment for me: The answer is yes, saw it, post coming up. Thanks so much.
Fantastic website you have here but I was
wondering if you knew of any discussion boards that cover the same topics talked about here?
I’d really like to be a part of community where I can get responses from other knowledgeable people that share the same interest. If you have any suggestions, please let me know. Appreciate it!